Social media and video are two leading digital marketing tactics that marketers are turning to frequently. Not only are social media and video marketing offering real value in terms of visibility and engagement, but they are also increasing traffic and conversions. Combined, social media and business video drive the success of marketing campaigns. Businesses should no longer wonder about their effectiveness, but rather begin implementing both of them into their marketing strategies.

Social Media in the Spotlight

Social media gets nearly double the number of leads compared to direct mail, PPC or trade shows.

Facebook brand posts reach half of their total audience within 30 minutes of posting.

43% of marketers found a customer via LinkedIn in 2013, while 36% found customers on Twitter.

When buying products, about 46% of online users turn to social media in the decision-making process.

Video Content Soars

Now, consider the value of video:

According to Dr. James McQuivey of Forrester Research, one minute of video is equivalent to 1.8 million words. In other words, video quickly conveys a message.

comScore reports that 45.5% of viewers watched at least one video in the average month, and they were exposed to 32.2 videos on average each month. That means that marketers who implement business video can expect that their videos will be seen.

Online Publishers Association reported that of the 80% of internet users that view videos each month, 46% take action afterwards. Namely, 26% of viewers searched for more information, 22% clicked-through to the brand’s website, and 12% proceeded to purchase the featured product.

Combined Power

With social media and video marketing platforms faring well, marketers should hone in on consumer usage patterns to strategize their campaigns:

Every minute, 700 videos from YouTube are shared via Twitter. Consumers share videos on the platform to start conversations within their communities. Marketers that optimize their videos for sharing on Twitter can target an audience that’s ripe for video-viewing.

Consumers turn to social media channels to share news, too. A Nielsen Media Research survey shows that news accounts for 65% to 70% of all content shared via social media platforms. Marketers can use professionally-produced video news releases to increase brand awareness for their clients, combining the power of social media channels with news videos.

A video marketing campaign employed on social media platforms puts considerable power in the hands of marketers, with 46% of consumers worldwide turning to social media when making a purchase decision, and nearly half of video watchers taking action based on what they watch.

Video campaigns on social platforms target consumers where they spend their time, and where market research estimates they will continue to do so. eMarketer reports that one in four people around the world will use social media channels in 2013. That’s an increase of 18% from 2012, reaching 1.73 billion users. By 2017, that number is expected to climb to 2.55 billion. Marketers that employ video tactics on active social media channels can potentially target a vast audience.

Insight for Marketers

Today, most brands successfully employ social media marketing to expand their businesses. Including video marketing into the mix can further drive engagement, social sharing and ROI. Ultimately, these strategies allow marketers to deliver relevant, share-able content that consumers are searching for. Will your business employ these tactics to gain a competitive edge?